Graphics

Across Orange County there are neighborhoods that feed contrasting school districts – great schools for some homes and schools perceived to be less-than-excellent for other homes.

And in those neighborhoods, even when the housing is similar in size and quality, schools drive value.

Consider:

In 2012, a doctor, his wife and their infant son moved to Orange County from Boston and spent a year living in UC Irvine housing as they figured out where to buy their permanent home.

They first looked in Newport Beach, tantalized by its beautiful coastline. But they soon started thinking about another factor, something that’s a huge economic driver in Orange County’s housing game: schools.

So, last July, Ran and Aude Schwarzkopf, along with their son Matan, now 2, passed on an ocean view to live in non-coastal Irvine, near Turtle Rock Elementary and University High School – both of which have reputations as being among the best public schools in the county if not the country.

“It’s not like our kid goes to school now, but it is very comfortable to be near Turtle Rock Elementary,” Aude Schwarzkopf said.

“I would expect to pay a premium to be in the area of such a high profile high school.”

She would be right.

Rich Hudson, a real estate columnist for Websitebox.com, cited a study by Redfin Real Estate than showed homebuyers paying as much as $400,000 more for a better school in Orange County.

Hudson said job location used to rival schools as the top factor for family homebuyers, but that has changed in Orange County and the Inland Empire (particularly the Murrieta/Temecula areas).

“In both cases, access to good schools won out over drive time,” Hudson said.

It’s part of the reason Orange County real estate watchers are monitoring a sliver of land in north Irvine that has become a school/real estate/political football. Its fate, some believe, will say a lot about how schools influence home prices.

With a new high school coming in 2016 and talk of redrawing district lines, people who move into the neighborhood east of the 133 and north of the 5 Freeway just might be sending their kids to Saddleback Unified schools instead of the more prestigious campuses in Irvine.

Financially, it’s a huge gamble. If district lines are indeed redrawn (the boundaries are still being discussed), the predictions for real estate prices in that dangling Irvine neighborhood are mixed, even though Saddleback Unified is full of good schools.

Aude Schwarzkopf, left, and her husband Ran decided on Irvine when they moved from Boston last July so their son Matan, 2, could attend Irvine schools. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Aude, left, and Ran Schwarzkopf spend some time with their son, Matan, 2, in the backyard of their Irvine home. They decided on Irvine when they moved from Boston last July so their son Matan, 2, could attend Irvine schools. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Ran Schwarzkopf plays with his son, Matan, 2, at their home in Irvine. Ran and his wife, Aude, decided on Irvine when they moved from Boston last July so Matan could attend Irvine schools. , PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Aude Schwarzkopf gives her son, Matan, 2, a snack in the kitchen of their Irvine home. Aude and her husband, Ran, decided on Irvine when they moved from Boston last July so Matan could attend Irvine schools. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

1 of

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.